Middle Orient

The Gaza ‘aid pier’: a US geopolitical ploy?

While presented to the world as a humanitarian effort, the US-led ‘Maritime Corridor’ in Gaza is a strategic maneuver aimed at consolidating US and Israeli control over land and sea. Israel’s brutal military assault on Gaza, which has killed over 35,000 civilians, predominantly women and children, has been executed alongside …

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The PIJ’s defiance amid diplomacy: ‘Gaza will not be allowed to fall’

With a reputation as the most ‘Resistance Axis’ aligned armed faction in Gaza, the PIJ’s perspectives on the war and ongoing ceasefire negotiations are highlighted in this exclusive interview with a key figure from the movement. In an exclusive interview with The Cradle, Abu Imad al-Rifai, a Palestinian Islamic Jihad …

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Dialing down expectations on a US–Saudi security pact

Expect a ‘less-for-less’ outcome from any forthcoming US–Saudi security pact. Israel’s war on Gaza has hampered Washington’s plans to push normalization with Tel Aviv and pull Riyadh away from the Russia–China sphere of influence. A historic security pact may be in the making between the United States and Saudi Arabia …

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Yemen’s strategic escalation into the Mediterranean

Ansarallah’s maritime operations against Israeli-linked shipping just expanded into the Mediterranean Sea, the Eurasian waterway NATO has long considered its own domain, home to Israel’s oil and gas platforms, and the site of Washington’s new ‘aid pier’ ploy. In support of Gaza, Yemen’s Ansarallah-aligned armed forces executed their first direct …

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Iran Update, May 14, 2024

Israeli forces expanded clearing operations on May 14 into areas of Jabalia refugee camp that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) had not previously cleared. Two IDF brigades advanced into the center of the Jabalia refugee camp.[i] Israeli forces initially conducted clearing operations in Jabalia city and refugee camp in November …

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Iran Update, May 12, 2024

Key Takeaways: Northern Gaza Strip: Israeli ground forces advanced into Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip.Southern Gaza Strip: Israeli forces continued a “precise operation” targeting Hamas in eastern Rafah.West Bank: Israeli forces have engaged Palestinian fighters in at least three locations in the West Bank.Southern Lebanon and Golan Heights: Iranian-backed …

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Russia Removes Guards From Armenian-Azerbaijani Border, But Not From Borders With Iran And Turkey, Kremlin Says – OpEd

At Yerevan’s request and in a way consistent with Moscow’s withdrawal of its so-called “peacekeepers” from Azerbaijani territory, the Russian government has removed Russian border guards from the Armenian-Azerbaijani frontier but not from Armenia’s borders with Iran and Turkey, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov says. Russia has maintained border posts in …

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Deterrence, Escalation Management And The Iran-Israel Conflict – Analysis

On 13 April 2024, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched an aerial attack on Israel involving over 300 drones, cruise and ballistic missiles. Israel and its Western allies including the United States, the United Kingdom, France and neighbouring Jordan were able to organise a coordinated defence using fighter jets, …

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The Economic Implications Of Turkey’s Trade Boycott On Israel And Beyond – OpEd

In a surprising turn of events, the Turkish economy has delivered a significant blow to its Israeli counterpart, sending shockwaves through the region and global markets. The escalating tensions between the two nations fueled by political and diplomatic disputes have now manifested in the economic realm with far-reaching consequences. Deteriorating …

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Spotlight on Terrorism: Hezbollah, Lebanon and Syria (May 6-12, 2024)

This past week Hezbollah claimed responsibility for 46 attacks on military and civilian targets in northern Israel. In two of the attacks, three IDF soldiers were killed. Following the beginning of the IDF operation in Rafah, Hezbollah escalated its attacks, including the use of heavy Burkan rockets (whose warheads weigh …

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